RUI: Collaborative Research: How does changing glacial coverage affect the transport and fate of DOM and nutrients in coastal watersheds on the Gulf of Alaska?

RUI：合作研究：冰川覆盖范围的变化如何影响阿拉斯加湾沿海流域 DOM 和营养物的运输和命运？

• 批准号: 0838587
• 负责人: Eran Hood
• 金额: $ 16.82万
• 依托单位: University of Alaska Southeast Juneau Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-04-15 至 2013-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0838587&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Collaborative; Research; How; does

Glacier thinning rates along the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) are commonly as high as 6-8 m yr-1. This rapid glacial recession has important implications for coastal watershed hydrology and biogeochemistry because the loss of glacier ice decreases hydrologic storage and dramatically alters catchment landcover by exposing new land to the process of primary succession. The ecological development of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems following deglaciation has been explored extensively, however there has been very little research on how landcover change will alter material delivery into and through the river network to coastal estuaries. This project will fill this critical knowledge gap by evaluating how glacial recession is altering hydrologic and biogeochemical processes in coastal watersheds in southeastern Alaska. In particular, our research will develop a comprehensive understanding of how the speciation, fate and transport of riverine nutrients and dissolved organic matter (DOM) will be altered by ongoing glacial retreat. Weekly and storm sampling combined with continuous discharge measurements will provide the first detailed and complete comparison of nutrient and DOM yields between paired glacial and non-glacial watersheds. Continuous measurements of discharge, oxygen, temperature and turbidity will be used to quantify the effects of glacial meltwater on hydrologic and physical parameters. Experimental approaches (laboratory and field-scale) combined with longitudinal surveys and stream tracers will be used to elucidate the fate of nutrients and DOM during downstream transport. Finally, longitudinal synoptics and source sampling will also be used to access the primary landscape sources of nutrients and carbon to the stream. Ultimately, project findings will provide new insights into how land-to-ocean fluxes of organic and inorganic nutrients are being altered by glacial recession along the GOA and in other glaciated coastal regions.The project will provide laboratory and field research opportunities for undergraduates at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), a small, undergraduate university with a high (16%) enrollment of native Alaskan students. Additionally, the project will provide training for one graduate student and one post-doctoral researcher. The integration of undergraduate students in this research project will provide a framework for students and researchers to cooperatively investigate important linkages among climate, landcover change, and hydrological and biogeochemical processes in coastal watersheds. In addition, the project will strengthen an existing partnership between scientists at UAS and naturalists at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center who will work collaboratively to incorporate project results into an interpretive display at the center. The Mendenhall Glacier is the most visited glacier in the United States and hosts over 300,000 visitors each year and thus provides a unique and effective opportunity for public outreach and education related to the findings of this project. Finally, a science educator from Montgomery County, VA will partake in field work during one of the summers. The science educator will bring their experience into the local classrooms and share their experience with their peers.

沿阿拉斯加湾（果阿）沿岸的冰川变薄速率通常高达6-8 m yr-1。这种快速的冰川衰退对沿海流域的水文学和生物地球化学具有重要意义，因为冰川冰的损失通过将新土地暴露于主要继承过程，从而减少了水文存储，并极大地改变了集水区的地表。脱气后的陆地和水生生态系统的生态发展已经进行了广泛的探索，但是，关于土地覆盖的变化将如何改变材料进入河流网络到沿海河口的材料传递的研究很少。 该项目将通过评估冰川衰退如何改变阿拉斯加沿海流域的水文和生物地球化学过程来填补这一关键知识差距。 特别是，我们的研究将对河流营养物质和溶解有机物（DOM）的形态，命运和运输（DOM）的形成，命运和运输（DOM）进行全面了解。 每周和风暴采样与连续排放测量相结合，将对成对的冰川和非冰川流域之间的养分和DOM产量进行首次详细和完整的比较。排放，氧气，温度和浊度的连续测量将用于量化冰川融化对水文和物理参数的影响。实验方法（实验室和现场尺度）与纵向调查和流示踪剂相结合，将用于阐明下游运输过程中营养和DOM的命运。最后，还将使用纵向概要和源抽样来获取养分和碳的主要景观来源。最终，项目发现将提供新的见解，了解如何通过果阿沿线和其他冰川沿海地区的冰川经济衰退来改变有机和无机养分的通量。该项目将为阿拉斯加东南大学（UAS）（UAS）（UAS）（UAS）（UAS）（UAS）（UAS）（UAS）（UAS）（UAS）（UAS）的本地学生（16％）的实验室研究机会提供实验室和实地研究机会。 此外，该项目将为一名研究生和一名博士后研究员提供培训。 本科生在该研究项目中的融合将为学生和研究人员提供一个框架，以调查沿海流域的气候，地覆盖变化以及水文和生物地球化学过程之间的重要联系。 此外，该项目将加强UAS的科学家与Mendenhall Glacier访客中心的科学家之间的现有合作伙伴关系，他们将共同努力将项目结果纳入该中心的解释性展示中。 Mendenhall冰川是美国访问量最高的冰川，每年接待30万名游客，因此为与该项目的发现相关的公共宣传和教育提供了独特而有效的机会。最后，弗吉尼亚州蒙哥马利县的一名科学教育者将在其中一个夏季参加现场工作。科学教育者将把他们的经验带入当地的教室，并与同龄人分享他们的经验。